Duterte to ask Congress to revive death penalty for heinous crimes

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/16 May) — Incoming Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte will immediately talk to Congress to revive death penalty in a bid to curb heinous crimes.

“Rape plus death of the victim must be death penalty. Kidnapping tapos with ransom tapos pinatay ninyo must be death penalty. Robbery with homicide and rape, double hanging. I want the head completely severed from the body,” said Duterte in a press briefing at the Matina Enclaves Clubhouse here Monday afternoon.

Duterte made clear in his campaign sorties to solve the problem on criminality and drugs in three to six months.

“I need it (death penalty) to combat crime,” he said

The tough-talking mayor said the war against drugs must start at the barangay level.

He said he plans to recruit people into the Special Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Active Auxiliary (SCAA) Unit — those who completed Reserve Officers’ Training Corp (ROTC) or even retired and former soldiers – those who have had at least the barest minimum of gunhandling and law enforcement and have undergone neuro exams because “pahawakan ko ng baril” (I will arm them) to fight the armed drug dealers.

Duterte said that SCAA members, who will be under the barangay captains but administratively will have to report police station commanders.

“Galit ako sa mga druglords na hindi naman talaga sila addict. They just seek out to convert people from one of a responsible citizen, a young man studying, young women, and they destroy their lives,” Duterte said, adding, “those who destroy the lives of our children will be destroyed. Those who kill my country will be killed. As simple as that. No middle ground. No apologies. No excuses.”

OFFER TO LEFT. In his press briefing on May 16 at the Matina Enclaves Clubhouse in Davao City, incoming President Rodrigo Duterte tells the Communist Party of the Philippines that if they join his government, the posts of Secretary of the departments of Agrarian Reform, Environment and Natural Resources, Labor, and Social Welfare and Development . His running mate, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano will be his Secretary of Foreign Affairs or Justice. MindaNews photo by TOTO LOZANO

Duterte said issuance of licenses for long-firearms will be stopped while for those short-firearms will be regulated for civilians.

“Those given the licences okay lang yan but “no permit to carry shall be issued to civilians (for) long firearms. Short (firearm) lang and must be under stringent conditions,” he said.

Nationwide curfew

Duterte said that he will enforce a mandatory curfew of 10 p.m. for minors nationwide who go out at nighttime without their parents or anyone who is of legal age.

“The police should not arrest minors because they are not supposed to be arrested. They do not have the discernment of what’s happening out there. Arrest the parents, instead,” he said.

He added that that he would ask the barangay captains to direct the police to the residence of the minors and arrest their parents for “abandonment of minors and putting the minors’ lives in jeopardy.”

“Pag hindi nyo ito kaya (barangay captain), be ready to face charges for neglect of duties charges, or simply you are not working in which case I will suspend you for neglect of duty,” he said. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)

1 COMMENT

President Duterte, I really applaude you for everything you have done and will be doing. I am positive that I can see some change in the Philippines. May I also suggest that you start tracking down government employees who come to work but will not do any work until you give them some money. I also hope you can stop the crimes and corruption in the Philippines. Also, for the good of the environment, start tracking down those vehicles that were given okay even if it did not pass the emission testing.
The next time I visit the Philippines, I am hoping to see some change.
Wish you all the best.